THURSDAY'S COMET

Synopsis

Short documentary about RAF Transport Command's regular flights to the Far East narrated by (and starring) Jon Rollason.

Reporter John Rollason, not an RAF man, is booked on a Transport Command Comet to Singapore, and describes his experiences. RAF Lyneham - departure lounge, meeting the crew. Preparations - form-filling, bags checked and loaded, briefing. The flight itself. First stopover - Bahrain; street scenes, meeting with John Churchill, RAF pilot of a Beverley…

Short documentary about RAF Transport Command's regular flights to the Far East narrated by (and starring) Jon Rollason.

Reporter John Rollason, not an RAF man, is booked on a Transport Command Comet to Singapore, and describes his experiences. RAF Lyneham - departure lounge, meeting the crew. Preparations - form-filling, bags checked and loaded, briefing. The flight itself. First stopover - Bahrain; street scenes, meeting with John Churchill, RAF pilot of a Beverley transport. Rejoining the Comet, and on to Aden - harbour and street scenes. He takes a trip from RAF Khormaksar over the Radfan mountains to meet troops guarding the border. Next stop for the Comet is Gan, in the Maldives - RAF post, fishing, wet weather. Comet's final destination, Singapore - RAF Changi, street scenes, Bugis Street. Trip in an Argosy to Hong Kong - aerial scenes, junks. On to Sarawak, North Borneo, by Whirlwind helicopter - dyaks in their long houses, scenes of RAF routine and preparation for para-drop at Carfax Platoon HQ. The para-drop itself, by troops of 55 Company RASC (Air Dispatch); Hastings, with Javelin fighter escort, delivers to front line. Back to base. Flying home in Bristol Britannia, Rollason sums up his experiences.

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Production Organisations

The Colonial Film website is funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and features films from the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum, and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.